That Day
by RonaldAndMione
Summary: Ron and Hermione throughout the day after the battle. POV changes throughout story.


**That Day**

That day Hermione woke up first. The first thing she felt was pain. Her legs ached, her arms ached. Her neck also felt sore, and Hermione realised she her neck had been in an awkward position against Ron's chest that night.

Ron.

Hermione slowly lifted her head, and as she did so, lifted her hand to rub the sore spot on her neck. She looked down at Ron, who was sleeping right next to her on the common room couch. Hermione gasped as she realised something – it was over. Voldemort was gone. They had won. Looking around, Hermione saw other students with their families – some were sleeping on armchairs, some were on tables, others on the floor. She and Ron had been lucky. Ron had quickly gone up here after the war ended, and they had been fortunate enough to get the couch, which was most comfortable.

That morning she began to realise the horrible, gruesome things had ended, and the beautiful, magical things were really beginning.

That day Ron opened his eyes and saw Hermione just above him, looking at her surroundings. He smiled as he realised the war was over, but then he remembered that Fred had not lived to see that. He sighed sadly and tried to ignore the overwhelming urge to cry. Instead, he focused on his new girlfriend.

"Hey." He whispered.

She looked down at him and smiled. "Hi." She said softly. Her hair was ruffled, and there was still dirt on her face. They should have showered, but they had been distracted… by each other. Ron grinned as he remembered the feeling of Hermione's lips against his, and suddenly, he wanted to feel that sensation again.

Should he lean up and kiss her? Would that seem too forward? She was his girlfriend now, but would she mind if he kissed her now? With Lavender it had been so easy, so simple… that was probably why he hadn't liked her.

"Um," Ron said nervously, sitting up. Hermione shifted over to give him more room on the couch. "Do you… can I…" He sighed, very frustrated with himself. He took a deep breath. "Is it okay if I kiss you?"

That day Hermione pressed her lips together to prevent an idiotic smile crossing her face. She felt her cheeks heat up and she nodded. "It would be more than okay." She said softly, and closed her eyes as Ron leaned forward with a grin on his face and kissed her softly, cupping one side of her face with his large hand.

That kiss was their fourth one ever, and the first one of that day.

That day breakfast was somber. Mrs. Weasley was trying to keep things together by constantly telling everyone to fill themselves up with food because they all earned it. Mr. Weasley ate silently, his usual cheerful attitude gone. Bill and Percy, being the most responsible of the children, tried to make conversation, but really only ended up talking to each other. Charlie tried to help them, but he, like everyone else, didn't feel like talking. Ginny sat between Harry and Ron, and Ron held Hermione's hand under the table, gripping it fiercely, almost afraid it would disappear. Hermione squeezed it gently from time to time to remind him she wasn't going anywhere.

George wasn't present at breakfast at all.

During the first meal after the battle, Professor McGonnagol gave a speech about how proud she was of everyone, and how sorry she was for those who had lost loved ones. Harry had raised his hand to ask whether those who wanted to stay and help clean up the castle could. Their old professor looked almost relieved when Harry asked that, and told them that any help that she could get would be much appreciated.

That morning, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys decided to stay for two more days to help the injured and repair the castle before returning to the Burrow.

That day Hermione helped Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. She applied dittany, wrapped up arms and legs, and watched as Madam Pomfrey cast amazing spells that Hermione dreamed of being able to do. During lunch, after Hermione gave the patients food, she sat down with the school nurse and asked her to teach her some spells. Madam Pomfrey smiled at the fact one thing was still the same – Hermione still wanted to learn – and gave her a quick lesson on healing charms.

A little while later, Ron walked in to give Hermione some food ("I had a feeling you were too busy giving everyone else food to realise that you needed to eat something yourself.") and sat down next to her, distracting her from the notes Madam Pomfrey had given her.

"How are you?" Hermione asked him as he looked around the hospital wing.

"As good as I can be, really." Ron answered, looking back at her. "You're obviously feeling great – I can see that you've got study notes in front of you, and you're always happy when you've got something to learn."

Hermione gave him a playful nudge. "I'm not always happy when I study."

"Every time I saw you you were." Ron said simply.

Hermione frowned in confusion. "What?"

Ron looked at her. "Well, over the past few years, I may have watched you now and then." His ears were red. Hermione blushed too. "Every time I saw you studying, you looked so happy and content. It was really nice."

Hermione wondered how many times he had sneaked a glance at her without her knowing. She had always suspected, and now she knew that Ron had been watching her.

"I don't mean to sound like a pathetic stalker," Ron began.

"You don't." Hermione said, shaking her head slowly. "Not at all." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

They heard a groan and looked around to find the source of the noise.

"Ms. Granger," Madam Pomfrey said from the other side of the room. "Could you check on Bradley?"

"Of course." Hermione said, standing up. Ron stood up with her. "See, this is why I have the notes." Hermione said to Ron. "They give me something to do whilst I'm waiting to help someone." She walked over to Bradley, a young fifth year with blonde hair. "Hey," she said softly, "How're you doing?"

Bradley grimaced. "Okay." He said quietly.

Hermione smoothed the blankets covering the boy and glanced up at the clock. "I'll just get you your potions."

"Aw, do I have to take them?" he asked miserably.

"Yes." Hermione said with a small smile on her face. "Would you rather their disgusting flavor or the pain in your stomach?"

Bradley sighed. "I guess their disgusting flavor."

Hermione left to get the necessary potions for Bradley, who had been hit in the stomach by a falling branch whilst he was fighting outside the previous night. Once she returned, she saw Ron sitting on the side of Bradley's bed, a chess set between them.

"So you snuck into the battle?" Ron was saying.

"Yeah," Bradley said, sounding a little embarrassed. "I know what you're going to say, 'That was irresponsible, an appauling action'—"

"No, I'm not." Ron said. "I would have done the same thing." Hermione saw him move a piece and there was a tap as the figure landed on the board once more. "Blimey, these muggle chess sets are annoying. I guess I'm used to the pieces talking to me."

"Mum sent it to me a few months ago. She knew that I had lost my old one, and that I prefer playing with a muggle board. The Carrows were a little annoyed to say the least, when they saw I had something from the muggle-world, but Snape let me go."

Ron nodded and didn't say anything. Hermione and Ron had found out from Harry that morning that Snape had been on Dumbledore's side all along, protecting Harry after the death of his love. Hearing that Snape had helped a student escape the wrath of the Carrows did not seem far-fetched now.

Hermione knew she had to give Bradley his potions, but she couldn't help but watch for a little more as he and Ron played chess and discussed Hogwarts and the battle. She smiled at the sight.

That moment she fell in love with Ron a little more, even though she had thought it was impossible to.

That day Ron had helped move rubble and clear hallways. Charlie and Harry helped him, and a few other students and their families also assisted. Bill and Percy had gone outside to clean up. The rest of Ron's family had not been in the mood to help. Ron now knew that people dealt with pain in different ways. Some wanted to not do anything, whilst others wanted a distraction. Ron needed a distraction, and it seemed that Bill, Charlie and Percy did too. After breakfast, Ginny and her mother had gone back to the Gryffindor common room with some toast, evidently to George. Mr. Weasley had followed shortly after, and Ron had a feeling it was to comfort his wife and two children, because usually Mr. Weasley needed to be involved with things.

It was confronting to move rubble away, but Ron felt he needed to do it. Every time he moved a rock, he could see the explosion that had killed his brother. Every time he did that though, it became a little more real, and a little easier to deal with. By lunch he decided to get away from it and try to relax and focus on something good, so he decided to go see Hermione. Playing chess with Bradley had been brilliant, as chess had always been a nice distraction for him, and whilst he was waiting for Bradley to move, Ron would watch Hermione tend to other patients. He smiled at the way she kindheartedly looked after them and gave them the necessary medicine, and the way she pulled strands of hair away from her face frustratingly as she did so.

After the match – which Ron had won – Ron had gone back to clear the castle. He, his brothers and Harry worked together, removing large rocks. Sometimes they used their wands, other times they didn't. It calmed Ron to focus on work, and he could now see why Hermione had clung to her books for such a long time.

He had felt very nice as he played chess with Bradley because he could see the joy on the young boy's face, and when Professor McGonagoll walked by and thanked them for everything they had done that day and the past year, Ron had felt just as good.

That afternoon, Ron felt like a hero.

That day they sat down with the Weasley family and told them what they had done the past year. They explained what had happened (skipping over Ron's departure and Hermione's torture). It took a long time, but Hermione personally felt a lot better afterwards. She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders and she could breathe easier now. It had been so difficult keeping all of this a secret during the summer holidays and the time they spent in Shell Cottage.

Mrs. Weasley cried and kept on whispering 'Dear Merlin' as they spoke. Ginny gasped a few times. Bill and Charlie and Percy listened with wide eyes. Every time Harry, Ron or Hermione described a particularly tragic event Mr. Weasley would shake his head in disbelief. George stared at them with a blank expression the entire time.

Throughout all this Ron's hand never left Hermione's. Rubbing his thumb against her hand as he talked, Ron continued to glance back at Hermione as he explained his story. Hermione found it very nice knowing that she was such a comfort to Ron, and she hoped Ron knew he was the same to her.

After their story, Charlie let out a huge sigh. "Bloody hell." He breathed out.

Those words cause Mrs. Weasley to shake out of her stupor. "My babies!" she exclaimed, leaping up and enveloping Ron in a huge hug. Hermione felt her arm being tugged forward as Ron was pulled into his mother's awaiting arms. Ron let go of her hand to wrap his arms around Mrs. Weasley.

That evening was the first time in almost a year that they'd all sat together in the same room and talked.

That day, as Hermione walked up the steps to the girls dormitory, she felt someone reach out and grab her arm. She turned around to find Ron looking up at her.

"D'you wanna…" Ron began, stuttering slightly, "you know, sleep with me?"

Hermione blushed furiously. "I—"

"Oh, bloody hell, _no_!" Ron suddenly exclaimed. "Oh Merlin, I didn't mean it that way!" Hermione bit her lip awkwardly. "I mean," Ron said, suddenly calming down, "not that I _wouldn't_… I just, you know, we've only been together for a day, and, yeah, I didn't mean it _that_ way, but eventually we might, you know, _sleep_ together," Ron practically whispered the words, "but right now I mean, do you want to stay the night in the boys dormitories with _me_, where we will _just sleep_?"

Hermione watched him as he looked up at her nervously. He was so adorable when he rambled on, and Hermione loved the way his ears had progressively turned red as he said his speech.

Her mouth curved into an uncontrollable smile and she put a hand on his cheek and kissed him on the lips briefly. Ron's mouth was slightly ajar as she pulled back and he gazed at her in wonder. Hermione hadn't felt so loved in a long time.

"I'm going to take a shower, get changed, and I'll meet you there soon." She told him.

A grin spread across Ron's face. "Oh, good, um… I should do that too." He said. "I'll see you there."

He began to walk away, then seeming to realise something, he turned back to her and kissed her. Hermione quickly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Pulling back, Ron smirked up at her. "I'll see you later."

Hermione, feeling rather dizzy, replied with "See you," and watched as Ron walked away from her towards his dormitory.

That night they slept on a Hogwarts bed for the first time since they left it a year ago.

That day, they all took their first step in their attempt to move on.

_That day has ended and so has this story._

**A/N I just want to let you know that I have already written a story for what happened when Hermione met Ron in his dorm room, and I will post it soon. I decided to post this one first because the events happened before what occurs in the next one.**

**Thanks for reading (:**


End file.
